Lexus - Self Drive

[Nottingham Lad]

I live at one end of a village at the top of a very slight gradient. As I move off the car moves very slowly down the hill without me using any acceleration and I keep a check on it with the brakes. When I am on the flat through the rest of the village the car seems to run itself with minimum use of the accelerator and occasional check on the brake.

I’ve often noticed this but never given it much thought.

Today I did a trial. On what seemed a perfectly flat road I sat with the car in neutral. I then put it in gear and without any accelerator the car gently moved away (as you would expect) and I watched the speedo and it gradually accelerated and changed into second gear and carried on at around 22 mph. All without me touching the pedals! Then I had to move on because of traffic behind me.

Does this mean my tickover is too fast and can this be adjusted? Presumably I must be regularly wasting petrol by using the brakes more than necessary?

Roy

[Steve ( West Mids )]

When you start from cold the rpm tends to be high so it would do this, try it when it's warm.

[Nottingham Lad]

When you start from cold the rpm tends to be high so it would do this, try it when it's warm.

Thanks Steve, never thought of that. Also was wrong to say it changes into second gear. Should have said it changed gear. Presumably from Neutral to First.

Roy

[John Lawley]

if you put it into D the gear change would of been from 1st to 2nd gear. Most autos drive off like this especially when cold, it's called creep.

You can engine brake instead of keep hitting the brakes by using 3/2/1 depending on your speed and the gradient.